Adjustable bracket for scaffolding



(No Model.)

M. P. HOLMES. ADJUSTABLE BRACKET FOR SGAFPOLDING. No. 446,682. Patented Feb. 17,1891.

WWW 0% 5.

MONROE P. llOLl\[ES, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

ADJ U STABLE BRACKET FO R SOAP-FOLDING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,682, dated February 17, 1891. Application filed November 3, 1890. Serial No. 370,166. (No model.)

To all whom it may GOTLGGT/L:

Be it known that I, MONROE P. HOLMES, of Toledo, county of Lucas, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Brackets for Scaffolding; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figu res of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an adjustable bracket for scaffolding, and has relation to that character of bracket used upon ladders in erecting a scaffolding at the side of buildmgs.

The object of the invention is to provide a bracket that shall be absolutely safe when placed in position and that shall be capable of being adjusted to a horizontal position irrespective of the inclination of the ladder.

A further object is to construct abracket that can be used upon either side of a ladder lrrespectivc of the inclination of the same.

A further object is to combine with the valuable features recited, economy of construction, portability, and strength.

The invention consists, broadly, in a centrally longitudinally-slottcd base-board havin g one or more rack-bars upon the under side, and engaging devices at one end thereof to engage with the round of the ladder, and a hanger passed through the slot, with one end engaging with the rack-bar and the opposite end engaging with a round of the ladder.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elcva-. tion of a portion of a buildinghavinga ladder leaning against the same with my improved bracket arranged thereon upon the front and the rear side thereof to illustrate its adaptability to either position. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the bracket detached from the ladder. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same.

l-Ieretofore in arranging a scaffolding by means of ladder-brackets great difficulty has been experienced in securing the platform horizontally irrespective of the inclination of the ladder. Another objection to the present form of bracket is that it cannot be suspended upon the inside of the ladder to compensate for the distance between theladdcr and building due to the necessary inclination. of the ladder. These objections are overcome in the present invention, as the adjustability of the hanger with reference to the platform, renders it convenient to suspend the same at any desired angle to the ladder, and by reason of the peculiar arrangement of hanger and bracket fastenings the bracket may be suspended from either side of the ladder.

1 designates the platform, formed with a slot 2 centrally of the width thereof, and preferably, though not necessarily, with the rear end cut out semicircularly, as at 5, there being a plate 4: of like contour securely fastened to the platform and extending beyond the same in the direction of its length to form supports 5 to rest upon the upper side of the round of the ladder, and in conjunction with the projecting ends 6 of rack-bars 7, secured upon the under side of the platform and which pass beneath the round of the ladder, forms a fastening, which prevents the platform from vertical movement and firmly sustains the same at the rear end when weight is to be borne thereby.

8 designates a hanger formed with a transverse barorT-head S) and a pronged or bifurcated upper end, each prong terminating in a hook 10 for engaging the round of ladder next above that engaged by the supports at the rear end of the platform. Rack-bars 7 are of a length to extend from the rear of the platform to the front end of slot 2 and are arranged one upon each side thereof. Each rack-bar is provided with a series of hookshaped projections 11 for engaging with the transverse bar or T-head 9 to firmly suspend the front end of the platform when the hooks of the hanger are engaged with the round of ladder above that engaged by the rear supports of the platform. Each rack-baris preferably formed with a guard or keeper 12 for preventing the removal of the T-head either accidentally or otherwise, although this rail or keeper may be omitted, if desired, as shown in Fig. 3.

lVhile I have described the hanger as being of a length to reach to but the first round of the ladder above that engaged by the rear supports of the platform, it will be understood that I may Vary the length to cause the same to engage any round desired above that engaged by the platform.

In operation the supports at therear of the platform are engaged with the round of ladder at the height desired for the scaffold, the hooks of the hanger are engaged with the round above, and the. platform is leveled by engaging the proper projections upon the rack-bar with the T-head of the hanger, when the scaffold may be laid thereon. hen, as in the act of painting, the scaffold is upon the front side of the ladder and the building painted as far down the side as the painter can reach by reason of the distance of the ladder from the building, owing to its inclination, the position of the bracket is reversed, and it is suspended from the rear side of the ladder and the scaffolding placed thereon, by which means it is possible to reach the building and paint far below the point reached when the scaffold was upon the front side. It will be seen that the Weight upon the plat form tends to urge the same toward the ladder,

thereby precluding the possibility of the bracket becoming separated from the ladder accidentally.

The bracket may be of sufi'icient strength to withstand all necessary strain, and yet be light and portable.

hat I claim is- A bracket for scaffold ing, comprising abaseboard formed with a slot through the body thereof and projections upon the end, retaining devices upon the under side of the baseboard, and a hanger passed through the slot, having a T-head adapted to engage with the retaining devices and an end portion formed with hooks.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MONROE P. HOLMES.

Witnesses:

- WILLIAM WEBSTER,

CARROLL J. WEBSTER. 

